Future Lost
by Legendary Chimera
Summary: Unable to cope in the wake of his brother's death, Alphonse plunges down the path of revenge. Will Al lose his innocence, or will Winry reach him in time? [Alphonse centric with a smidgeon of royai]
1. Chapter 1

Inspired by the royai forums contest suggestion

Words Count: 1681

Prompts: Scar (because he's lonely;) , organ, and useless

Pairings: Most likely Al/Winry with a hint of royai

Raiting/Warning: Rated T for grossness if I did it right. This will not follow the

ending but there may be some major spoilers. May be slightly out of character.

Disclaimer: Hiromu Arakawa is the creator of FMA. Licensed custody is shared by Funimation, Square Enix, Viz, and all other professional parties. I no own, this is just for fun.

* * *

Colonel Roy Mustang surveyed the grim crime scene before him wondering how it had all come down to this. He hadn't believed the incident was true when he had first received the call, and he still couldn't fathom what was going on even in the aftermath. The shock was still too fresh.

Before him lay Scar's latest victim, another child whose face would be forever etched into Roy's nightmares. The body was barely recognizable. The upper torso was shredded to pieces, but that was just the beginning. The skull was split open, barely there except for a smidgen of the brain which was splattered against the wall. Roy didn't even need to see any _other_ organs to gauge how badly the victim was abused before his death. Blood was everywhere. How was it possible for such a large pool of blood to spill out of such a small host? Mustang had to look away in order to compose himself or risk losing it right in front of his own men. He couldn't allow it. This had to be harder on any of them then it was in his own mind and heart, and that was saying something.

"Sir," Second Lieutenant Havoc addressed him as he approached, "I've found this sir."

Roy gave his attention to the soldier when he noticed he was cradling a piece of scrap metal. He held it as if it was precious, and Jean had every right to.

It was an automail arm.

"We...haven't been able to locate anything else," his comrade replied somberly.

"Understood. The others will take care of it from here on out. Would you please help Lieutenant Hawkeye with... crowd control?" Roy asked knowing full well that this assignment was just too much for all of them to handle. The medics and other personnel had arrived practically shoving the unit out of the way, not that they weren't grateful for it.

Jean nodded and headed towards Hawkeye's position. It was protocol for everyone in the unit to know each other's location at all times during a mission, but that wasn't the only reason his other superior was so easy to find. Riza was attempting to hold back a hysterical suit of armor who was nearly three times her size and nearly twice as strong. His 'innocent' voice was enough to break down the barrier of any soldier's heart, it was no wonder Hawkeye was having trouble with him.

"I've got to find brother! What if he needs help? I can't just stand here and do nothing!" Alphonse Elric pleaded with the blonde haired woman. Why didn't she understand that they were blood brothers? Edward had put himself in danger time and time again and he wasn't about to let Colonel Mustang or any other soldier intercept his sibling without him knowing. Still, the way the sharp shooter's eyes avoided his own unnevered him. Something was definitely wrong, and he was going to get to the bottom of this. Hadn't they learned by now that there was no stopping an Elric?

"Alphonse..." she pleaded barely above a whisper. He hadn't heard her and kept trying to push his limits. Riza knew she was in possession of a time bomb waiting to go off, and she held the detonator. She couldn't bear it. She didn't want to see someone she cared about be in so much pain. That's why she was there in the first place, she wasn't as strong as Mustang was. She couldn't keep a straight face in front of such a devastating tragedy, and she was a soldier.

Havoc approached them with caution as if he were stepping on broken glass. Hawkeye had all but lost her grip on the boy and Havoc stepped in to assist her just in time. Alphonse stopped shoving and stared them down. He _was _going to get to the bottom of this, even if it killed him.

"Where's my brother?" Al demanded with a fierceness that surprised them both. The two officers looked to each other for guidance, one just as lost as the other. Mustang had ordered them to keep him away from the area. Should they really tell him?

"I...he uh... that is to say..." Jean stammered attempting to gather some courage. Riza elbowed him before he could get any further and he lost all train of thought.

"It's alright, I'll take it from here," their commanding officer announced as he entered the room. Mustang tried to quail the fear in his gut, to no avail. Alphonse had a right to know. He had to tell him.

"I'm sorry Alphonse. Edward is no longer with us," he stated mentally kicking himself. Why couldn't he come out and say it?

"What do you mean? Where did he go?" Al pleaded suddenly not feeling as strong as he was. Sure his brother was reckless but he wouldn't take off without telling him? What in the world is 'no longer with us' supposed to mean anyway?

"Scar was in the area. Before we could detain him, he found Edward. This is all that's left of him," his voice trailed off as he produced the automail arm that Havoc had offered him. Alphonse stared in horror as he tried to process the information he was just given. He had thought he couldn't get any number then losing his body. He'd never been so wrong. Not wanting to believe what was happening, Al broke hold of Hawkeye's grip sending her to the floor. He rushed past Havoc and Mustang ignoring their useless warnings.

"Alphonse!" they shouted as he entered the room. The personnel cleaning up had looked up upon hearing the clanking interrupting their work. The sight that befell Al's eyes was enough to send his disoriented soul into oblivion. The mangled corpse held his gaze as the puddle of blood reflected his image. Al was ready to walk away satisfied that the victim was just another nameless face until he caught a glimpse of a red jacket. The boy willed his hollow body to inspect it closer until he found the famous insignia on the back. The body was slumped over just enough that it peeked out behind a few strands of golden hair. Attached to the belt on the lower half of the body was a certified state alchemist pocket watch. A very familiar watch.

The armor shook as recognition set in. "Brother..." he whispered in disbelief, his voice teetering on the edge. His red eyes shook as he slid to the floor in a heaping mess. A sob broke free and a thousand thoughts raced through his head. 'He can't be! He wouldn't do something so stupid! We're all we've got!' Al's mind screamed as he shook with grief. By this time the colonel and squad had come to comfort him. They tried to ease him up so they could remove him from the scene.

"No!" Al fought losing all composure. He couldn't leave Ed, not when he had suffered so much! With his mind on a doomed collision course, he soon lost the will to fight. He gently claimed Ed's precious pocket watch before he finally let the officers guide him to a waiting car.

Colonel Mustang led the way as his faithful team fanned out in a semi-circle hovering protectively over Alphonse. The Colonel knew it was only a matter of time before the media received word on the death of the Fullmetal Alchemist, and he wanted to get Alphonse as far away from the suffocating crowds as possible. Roy was fairly certain that Scar had only wanted Edward because he was a certified state alchemist like himself, but he wasn't willing to gamble with Al's life. Edward had made a lot of enemies. Even if the boy was a suite of armor the Colonel made a mental note to tighten security in case any assassin wannabes were in the area.

It took a lot of manipulation to get Riza, Havoc, Falman, Alphonse and himself into a car considering one of the passengers was much larger then the average man. Breda and Feury had opted to take another vehicle. Although she couldn't move, Riza had chosen to sit in the back with Roy in order to try and comfort the quaking, sobbing child. Havoc floored the gas pedal and they took off into the night.

A silhouetted figure on the roof of the building was barely visible against the backdrop of a diamond studded sky. The spy watched the military personnel pull out of the area slightly disappointed that he hadn't been able to confront anyone on current events. He had been passing by on the roof tops when he heard the commotion that scarred Ishbalan man had made and was outraged when he had found Fullmetal's corpse. Killing Edward was his job dammit! Envy was beyond pissed at the Ishbalan for disposing of his obligation, but he still considered himself lucky with the prize he had found. In his hands he held the missing automail leg stolen fresh from the crime scene. He wasn't quite sure what he would do with it yet, but several delightful disturbing possibilities were emerging.

"Well, if I can't have the pipsqueak all to myself, there's always his baby brother..." he snarled, words dripping with venom.

* * *

A/N: Yet another deviation from what I'm supposed to be working on. I'm quite pleased with this one, I just hope it's as fresh as I think. I appreciate any feedback. Thanks for reading! 


	2. Chapter 2

Word count: 1,594

Warnings: Violence and gore, possible homunculous spoilers, some strong language

A/N: Hello again everyone! Forgive me, I had planned to have this out about a week ago but a virus hit me with a vengeance and the details weren't pretty. But all of your reviews were so helpful and because you've pointed a few things out to me I was able to move along that much quicker. To answer a few of your questions:

This is will be a hybrid of manga events and anime characters. It is definitely Au from chapters 45 and under so there may only be one or two spoilers concerning the homunculous. To recap, Ed and Al have been attempting to lure Scar out of hiding by exposing themselves with alchemy. Of course we can see the fruit of those labors in my evil world. coughs All other questions concerning plot are meant to be obscure for now. Now for your angsty pleasure...

* * *

Roy Mustang had ordered Havoc to chauffeur them to Gracia's home. She had given them a warm welcome upon first glance, but a deeper look into their troubled faces told her something was gravely amiss. Roy stepped to the side as Hawkeye ushered an emotionally distraught Alphonse inside after Gracia's generous invitation. Worry engulfed Gracia as she observed Al and fear stabber her heart at the absence of the older sibling. 

"Roy, what's going on?" she inquired trying not to panic.

Her late husband's best friend addressed her in hushed tones, "Edward was killed by Scar nearly an hour ago. Would you mind if Alphonse stays here for the night? It's not safe for him at head quarters."

Gracia's hands flew up to her face as if it would prevent the flood of tears welling in her eyes. "Yes, of course," her voice trembled. Roy slipped a comforting hand on her shoulder and gave a nod of gratitude. "Let me fetch you all something to drink," she whispered as she practically ran into the kitchen choking back a sob.

Roy took the opportunity to find Alphonse jammed into a corner a the end of a dark hallway. It was as if he was caving in on himself, or trying to disappear completely. Hawkeye was hovering over him protectively, motherly instinct and protocol keeping her in check. Mustang dismissed her without a second thought. He needed to talk to the boy now before their target could get too far.

"Alphonse," Roy called trying to get his attention. The lack of response sent chills racing along the colonel's spine. "Alphonse!" he shouted but to no avail. The boy's eyes were dilated, almost as if they were human. The state watch was clenched in his gauntlets. The possibility for questioning the him for answers looked bleak.

"Alphonse we need to know what happened in order to find any leads on Scar's whereabouts." he commanded, though somewhat reluctantly. The mere mention of the assassin's name sent the boy into further hysterics. Roy sighed as he left the child alone in his misery. He was on a mission, and not even the grieving theatrics of his subordinate's younger brother would get in his way.

"How's the kid?" Havoc asked unsure of what to say. He instantly regretted it, having noticed Roy's foul demeanor.

"He's completely useless for questioning," the superior commander hissed, failing to mask his own grief. Edward may have been an smartass, foulmouthed, insubordinate child but he was still someone Roy cared about more then the man was willing to admit even to himself.

"We need to move out now if we're going to catch that bastard," the Colonel growled with a plan already forming in his head. "Havoc and Feury will stay here and secure the area, the rest of us will move out!"

"But Sir, we've been given orders to guard Alphonse. The SWAT teams are handling Scar. Maybe we should consider laying low and regrouping until Alphonse is safe." Breda interrupted. He wanted Scar as much as the rest of the team, but he knew his commander was not of sound mind. He was sure it would take more then two men to protect the boy against the lethal alchemist. The blazing aura emanating from the colonel was enough to make the man fear for his own life.

"Alphonse will be safe when I kill that bastard with my own hands. Now move out!" Mustang ordered with his patience dangling on the edge of a precipice. Hawkeye and the others gave Breda a sympathetic look and followed their commander's lead.

"Good luck and please be careful," Gracia bade them farewell as they disappeared into the night, save Havoc and Feury. "Please make yourselves comfortable, she addressed the two remaining officers. "Would you like some more tea?" she asked politely even though none of the soldiers had time to consider their first cup.

"If you don't mind I'd like to start making rounds," Havoc replied, but when he saw the sweet woman's disappointed expression he hastily added a recommendation on Feury's behalf. Grateful for a distraction, Gracia waited on them as they protected their charges.

Meanwhile Mustang's team fanned the area with no luck what so ever. Havoc and Feury held vigil over the dwelling. Gracia tried to console Alphonse, who was completely absorbed in shock. When she finally realized her feeble attempts were futile, she offered her pristine tears. If he had no means to physically bear pain, she would carry his burden.

Alphonse was drifting endlessly in the void of his own mind, trapped in the abyss of nothingness. Visibility to the world around him was non existent as he floated along in a murky substance. He felt weightless and blissfully unaware of the commotion around him. There was nothingness as far as they eye could see, until he drifted a little further on. A bright orb glowed in the distance. Curious, he shifted position from his back to his chest plate and swam toward the object.

Upon reacting his destination he witnessed the light fade to a dull glow revealing the gentle form of his mother. Al gaped in surprise, all movement was suspended.

"Welcome home sweetheart," Trishia said as her arms unfolded welcoming him in an embrace. A tear rolled down his cheek as he accepted her love. Wait, a tear? That wasn't right. Alphonse held a hand up and peeked behind his mother's back to find not a trademark gauntlet, but a real live flesh and blood hand!

"Feels great doesn't it?" a familiar voice called out to him. It was none other then his dear brother. Whole and flesh from head to toe, the family reunited once more.

"Brother, you're back! You wouldn't believe the crazy dream I just had!" he greeted joyously. The duo embraced Alphonse in a reassuring hug stroking his sandy blonde hair as tears cascaded down his face.

"Where in the world would I have gone and why are you crying?" his older sibling asked concern rippling throughout his features.

Al sniffed. "I just love you both, that's all." He was sure there was another reason, but he was to content to care at the moment.

"We love you too. I love both of my strong, handsome boys," Trisha comforted her sons, "but no matter how much I love you, I can't forgive you for your failures.'

Al dried his eyes blinking in confusion. "What are you talking about Mom?" he questioned with a nagging feeling that he had forgotten something threatening to resurface. As he took in his mother's appearance, he lost his grip on her and pitched forward on the floor. He was saturated from head to toe in a wet sticky substance. He gasped as Trishia Elric morphed into a liquid figure.

"Did you suddenly forget what you did to us? How could we ever forgive you for the horrors you've committed?" she chided, riddled with grief.

"What!? But I didn't... Brother, wha'ts going on? This is crazy!" Al retorted whirling around to face Edward. He had hoped for some backup defense.

"Sorry, I'm with her Al" Ed replied nonchalantly. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and backed away towards Trisha. "Where the hell where you when I died?"

The question slammed into Alphonse like a landslide consuming everything in it's path. A flood of emotions swirled in his heart full force as he finally recognized the murky substance he had been swimming in for what it really was.

It was blood. Edward's blood.

His attention ricocheted from his brother to the scenery. To his horror, Ed was sprawled on the bottomless 'floor' as crimson gushed from the stubs of what used to be an arm and a leg.

"Alphonse, help me!" he whimpered to his younger brother, though his concentration was somewhere else entirely. The impostor who had impersonated Trisha Elric now possessed the image of Scar. The arm of the assassin bearing the infamous intricate array glowed in anticipation. Scar lunged forward prepared to claim Edward's life.

Al stood frozen pitifully helpless as that hand reached for his brother. The array activated but in a brilliant fiery blaze the world collapsed and everything vanished.

* * *

A/N: Whew! The first act was tough to follow up on and I wasn't quite sure where to end it. This will be the last chapter for a while since we're going away. Also, I'm using characters I've never written before so please let me know if I do something wildly out of character so that I can try and keep them in check. As always criticism is encouraged and your patronage is most appreciated! 


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings: Violence and gore, possible homunculous spoilers, some strong language. Not to mention some major oocness towards the end. At least it's oocness to me.

A/N: She lives! Sorry for the rather lengthy delay folks. There are just not enough hours in the day and I seem to have scared the plot bunnies away. I feel I should warn you that my usual update habits are pretty pathetic. I will try to get installments out as soon as possible, but please don't hold your breath. Your patience, patronage, and criticisms are much appreciated.

And a big Armstrong hug to Dailenna for an awesome beta! Woot!

* * *

"Alphonse," a slightly familiar male voice called to him. The surreal atmosphere dissipated, sending him straight back to the present, face to face with Kain Fuery. They both yelped in surprise at the sudden realization.

After regaining some sense of dignity Kain mustered the courage to ask if Al was alright. The metallic boy's gaze seemed vacant yet vexed at the same time. Several seconds stretched into eternity before the young officer received an answer.

"Yes, I'm fine," a hollow voice answered. It was obvious the honesty in that statement was extremely lacking.

"Do you remember what happened?" he inquired.

Looking around, Alphonse could detect they were in a small corridor. It had a more homely feel than the offices in HQ where his shell of a body had last occupied. It reminded him of the Hughes residence but how had he gotten here? He and his brother were supposed to...

_  
Brother  
_

For a second time the unwanted information forced its way back into his mind. How could this have happened? How could he have been so absent and so idle during his brother's darkest hour? Alphonse reeled in guilt while questions pierced through his mind like shards of broken glass, each and every one evading the truth. But at least the evidence from his brother's corpse branded the name of the young alchemist's murderer. It had to be the evangelistic Ishbalan who had killed countless state alchemists before. The scarred face haunted the boy along with that of his sibling.

Al, remembering that Kain had asked him a question, shook his head in a negative response. The officer would've missed it if he had blinked. Starting to feel awkward once more, Kain sought escape. "I, I need to go inspect the perimeter with Lieutenant Havoc. Please excuse me, " he murmured before bowing politely and scurrying towards the parlor.

As the officer left Alphonse alone with only the vast desert of his own consciousness, fragments of reality started to ooze in. Edward was dead. He could no longer ignore the crushing pain in his soul, for his soul was all that was left of him now. He had no brother to care for and no means of (or desire to at the moment ) finding the proper way to return his body. Al groaned as another thought pierced his proverbial heart.

He would have to tell Granny and Winry of his failure to protect his older brother. How could he face them with this new heart-wrenching knowledge? He knew Winry already ached every time he and his brother journeyed off to another dangerous mission. It was the reason he tried to convince Ed to come to Risembool every now and then in the first place. Al sat in miserable silence as horror after horror plagued his weary soul.

A few miles further of Alphonse's current location, a man rippling with a well toned frame was traveling through the shadows. Military dogs were crawling over the city limit in furious attempts to capture their target. Scar had slipped down an alleyway concealed by the blanket of darkness. He had been fortunate that this episode had all occurred at night, it would make his getaway that much easier. He had to put this city behind him and dispose of the remaining state alchemists on a later date. It was too dangerous now. The dogs were hot on his trail, their sensitive noses and blood lust playing into their masters' hands. Scar took the lapse in pursuers as an opportunity to uncover a manhole and slipped into the dank sewer system transporting the city's refuse. A fitting escape for the traitorous Ishbalan banished from God's grace...

The weary officers returned to Gracia's home just as the pale ruby hue of dawn crept forth to what promised to be a beautiful, yet chaotic day. Their kind host had implored that they get some sleep lest they drown in their sorrowful daze. Duty denied them the leisure.

"We can't rest yet, not with the inquisition board on notice of the murder. They'll want answers, even if I can't give any we have to comply at least for the moment," he explained as Gracia nodded. "If we seek them out now we might be able to avoid unnecessary hindrances when we resume our operation."

"Where do we stand sir?" Havoc asked, not wanting to be left out of the loop again.

"For now I want Fuery and Falman on city surveillance. Central is crawling with soldiers but we can't take any chances. Havoc, I need you and Breda to guard Al. Don't take your eyes off him," he clarified with the up-most confidence. "Hawkeye will accompany me to the Fuhrer's office." Havoc looked slightly downtrodden being assigned with guard duty once more, but the colonel's faithful team saluted as they acknowledged him with a "yes sir!".

The squadron moved out to their respective positions as Roy and Riza acquired their car. "What's your plan sir?" she asked as she guided the vehicle down the familiar road.

"I need to convince them to let us take this case solo. We should get coverage to transport Alphonse outside the city, back to Risembool." he replied rather bluntly.

"Are you sure that's wise sir? We may need reinforcements to corner Scar let alone capture him. And what of the Rockbells? We should contact them..." Hawkeye's voice trailed off as she thought of how devastated young Winry would be. She internally prayed there would one day be a world where children wouldn't have to bear such travesties.

"We'll have more of a chance if we don't draw too much attention to ourselves. I don't want to scare our target when we happen to come upon him." Mustang countered with far too much bitterness in his visage for the lieutenant's liking. He had said "when" instead of "if". Her colonel had always reached his goal when he set his mind to it, but this new attitude was frightening and wreckless coming from the man she would blindly follow to the ends of the earth and beyond. She would need to stay focused and detach her emotions if she was to protect not only Alphonse, but her commander as well.

"Sir, it would be quite obvious that the boy should return to Risembool. Enemies are bound to-"

"Don't you think I realize that Lieutenant?"the Colonel snapped, "Alphonse's life is severely compromised and there's no turning back. No doubt he'll be forced to outrun Fullmetal's enemies once word gets out. I just...I just want to give him a chance to...to..." an unknown force clenched at his throat preventing his ability to speak. Hawkeye tensed as she suspected the hiccup he suppressed was actually a sob. The engine of the car hummed relentlessly, creating an awkward silence as they passed quaint townhouses painted with the dawn of a brand new day. The scenery just wouldn't comply with Mustang's mood despite his outburst.

Riza steeled her cinnamon irises so as to not allow any crystal tears to form. She would be the fortress for once. Heedless of who would be watching them while the vehicle approached the facility, the lieutenant slid a free hand atop the soldier's. Sheltering his midnight orbs from view by a curtain of bangs, Roy laced their digits in an attempt at solace. Without a need for vocals the officers comforted and absolved each other for their moment of 'weakness'. The car speed on towards their destination as an ominous wind circulated the air.

* * *

Again, very sorry for the delay in updating and the shortness of the chapter. I can't believe it's been that long already. At least I got the royai in, I can die happy. Until next time, peace out! 


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Wow, it's been a while. I hope you're all had a good summer. You'll have to excuse me, this chapter is more of an interlude. I'm largely out of my element, I've never written so much dialogue let alone these characters before. I see my chapter word count dwindling in an unsettling trend, however, I am happy with the way this turned out. I hope you enjoy.

PS: Big, BIG thank you to Dailenna for the beta. I don't know what I'd do without you. (Armstrong hug/glomps) Apologies for the delay, here we go!

* * *

A lone Sin flitted from rooftop to rooftop in an abandoned urban wasteland few dared to tread on the outskirts near Central. Though he knew he was being reckless in guarding his safety, he didn't worry about concealing his person from any passers by. The few who dwelled here were thugs, the destitute discarded by society, and he and his fellow homunculi. Envy's wicked grin was hard to missIt gleamed with malice in the early dawn. He had secured his new prized possession and made his way to the new headquarters he and his motley posse now occupied.

The old bar Envy approached had seen better days. No sunlight could penetrate through the grim and dust caked on the aging windowpanes. The old sign faded and wearily declared the establishment** '**Ernie's Place**'.** Pillowing clouds of dust preceded Envy's entrance as he kicked the poor abused door with unnecessary force. This gave him his due attention from the homunculi.

"Hey, keep it down will ya? I'm trying to entertain the ladies," Greed complained as his eyes struggled to regulate the sudden burst of light. The women in his arms jumped in surprise at the sudden intrusion.

"Shut up! I'll do whatever I want. If you weren't too busy sitting on your lazy ass all the time you'd know the city is in an uproar," Envy retorted, immediately regretting his decision to inform his cohorts.

"What did you do now?" Greed asked, his interest peaked by the mention of chaos. Over in a nearby booth Lust, Sloth and Gluttony tuned into the conversation.

"Just take a look at what I've brought," Envy said as he brandished his trophy.

'What the hell is that? It looks like a leg," Greed concluded somewhat sluggishly.

"It is a leg moron. But not just any leg..."

"It can't be," Lust whispered awestruck.

"That's right, Fullmetal Pipsqueak's automail. Unfortunately it was all I could manage to bring back of him," he gave a dramatic pause.

"You don't mean you've killed him?" Greed all but shouted. Lust lost temporary control over her body. She couldn't move and her breath hitched in her throat. (What fate had befallen the young alchemist who gave her hope?) Sloth pursed her lips in disbelief and Gluttony's eyes were as wide as saucers.

"I wish**," **Envy spatclearly frustrated, "that scarred Ishballan man intercepted him first."

"No..." Sloth challenged, mystified. She almost gave the impression she was slightly amused. Her former sons were crafty boys** – **it was surreal to think that one of her connections to this world had perished by the hands of a serial killer. No one could blame her for being a bit skeptic.

"If you don't believe me, just head to the city. Those military dogs are everywhere."

A stunned silence fell upon them and swallowed the room whole. That is until Wrath entered and caught sight of the new shiny toy Envy possessed.

"Ooooooooh, what'd you bring?" the child asked, curiosity unleashed.

"None of your business," he growled warning the boy away. The younger Sin would not be swayed.

"Mine!" Wrath proclaimed evading Envy's attempt to thwart him as he snatched the intricately crafted automail. The Sin stood in awe as he held the object. He knew instantly what it was. It was only natural that he knew the automail as he was obsessed with the matching fleshier limbs that belonged to its former owner. "Where's the rest of him?" he inquired. In place of an answer he received a sharp kick to his abdomen. The boy collapsed in pain and howled for Sloth.

"Pipsqeak's now a shredded, bloody corpse that's barely recognizable, which is what you'll be if you don't keep your filthy hands away."

"But...I have his other arm and leg," the boy whined, "if I can't get the rest of him I want that!" he snarled as Sloth embraced him to keep him under control.

"Oh don't worry about that. This changes nothing. We can get the other Elric brat to make the Stone. You'll get your body back, Lust here can become a pathetic, sniveling human, and I can finally slaughter an Elric with my own two hands!"

Lust ignored Envy's insidious remarks despite the fact that his tone had pulled her from her reverie. "How do you suggest we get him to perform such a task?"

"We trick him. That boy was softer then his brother. There must be something else that's precious with which we can manipulate him," Sloth offered. She knew her family better then her 'co-workers' after all.

"And then..." Gluttony inputted as he cackled and drooled suggestively.

"I like it. What are we waiting for? Let's investigate little Alphonse's weak spot," Greed chimed in making the vote unanimous.

Maybe telling the others wasn't such a bad idea after all. He didn't care what the others did with the Stone, so long as he got to murder Alphonse Elric in cold blood. Breaking that blood seal was everything to him now that Edward was dead and Hohenheim had vanished. Envy loved the beginning of a new hunt, he relished the thrill of perusing his foes. Yes, this would be a mission he wouldn't soon forget.

* * *

A/N: Apparently my muse was avoiding me while getting smashed at a dive called Ernie's Place. Otherwise I doubt I'd come up with such a lame name. (kicks muse) I've struggled with this chapter for so long, thank you for your patience and patronage. Criticisms and feedback is appreciated. Peace out! 


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